In November, the cost of calls for Russians traveling to Belarus decreased by 4–35 times, prices for SMS by 3–12 times, and Internet charges by 7–120 times. Such calculations were made for Izvestia by the Ministry of Digital Development. Prices decreased due to the fact that the interconnect rate (mutual settlements between Russian and Belarusian telecom operators) was reduced from 30 to 1.5 US cents as part of the abolition of roaming between the two countries. Belarus is a popular destination among Russian subscribers, and the reduction in inter-operator tariffs has affected the final prices for customers, analysts say. They believe that special tariff options may also appear, providing preferential roaming in the neighboring republic.
Who can use roaming?
To use MTS roaming in Belarus, Russian citizens usually need to have two tariffs on their phone. These are “International and national roaming” and “International access”. MTS requirements are not limited to this. Only Russian residents, including legal entities, can connect to these packages.
“International access” comes in addition to “International and national roaming”. The fact is that if you refuse “International Access”, the call service outside the Russian Federation applies only to other regions of Russia.
Preferential roaming between Russia and Belarus extended until the end of 2021
Russian and Belarusian mobile operators have agreed to extend the test regime for preferential tariffs for roaming services when their subscribers travel between the two countries. This was reported by the Sputnik agency.
A test regime of preferential roaming tariffs between the two countries was introduced on November 1, 2021. Then the operators agreed to reduce the interconnect rate (internetwork interaction) by 20 times: from $0.3 to $0.015 per minute. This led to a multiple reduction in the cost of calls in roaming for subscribers. The test period was supposed to last until the end of 2021, after which it was planned to be extended on a permanent basis.
What to do before leaving for Belarus?
If you don’t want to go to the MTS office, you can activate roaming yourself. There are 3 ways to do this: connect through a special command that must be entered on a smartphone or other phone, order through the official MTS website in your personal account, and the contact center will help you connect to this service.
To connect to roaming via USSD command, you need to dial *111*2192#.
Using the Internet, connection is made after simple registration on the official MTS website - www.mts.ru. To do this, you need to select your region and use the “switch”.
The MTS contact center has extensive capabilities in addition to roaming. So, to enable roaming or solve any other problem, you can use several suggested methods. Firstly, you can call the short number 0890 from a cell phone, secondly, while in international and national roaming, dial the phone number (be sure to start dialing the number with +7), and thirdly, call from your home phone or from a non-MTS operator number to 8 800 250 0890.
How to reduce the cost of Internet when roaming abroad
You have already seen that standard roaming Internet traffic is not only very expensive, but also very limited in volume. Therefore, you should try to use free Wi-Fi or connect additional options from your provider that will improve the conditions for access to the global network.
"Internet Abroad"
This option is activated using a USSD request *136# and allows you to additionally receive daily Internet traffic packages of 10 MB or 30 MB. Another way to activate the service is to send a service SMS with the text 10 MB or 30 MB to number 0500993 .
Deactivating the “Internet abroad” option is carried out in a similar way. By sending a USSD request *136*# or an SMS message with the word STOP from your phone to the same number 0500993 .
Megabytes received as part of this service have the following prices.
| A country | Internet package cost 10 MB | Internet package cost 30 MB |
| Europe | 129 rub. | 329 rub. |
| Near abroad (except Ukraine) and popular tourist countries | 329 rub. | 829 rub. |
| Ukraine | 49 rub. | 129 rub. |
| The rest of the world | 1990r. | 4990 rub. |
Important! The “Internet Abroad” option has a rational mechanism for charging a daily subscription fee, debiting funds from the personal account only on the day of actual use of Internet traffic. If a subscriber has not accessed the global network for 24 hours, the balance will remain untouched.
"Vacation-online"
This service is not valid in all countries, but can be very useful when traveling to Belarus, Greece, the Czech Republic, Spain, the Baltic States, France, Egypt, Armenia, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates. You can find out the full list of countries on the official page of the service.
Let's take a closer look at Megafon's terms of service.
| Service name | Price |
| Connection | 30 rub. |
| Subscription fee amount | 0r. |
| Mobile Internet traffic | 15 rub. for 1MB |
| Validity | 30 days from the moment of connection |
| Internet session rounding conditions | 100Kb each |
You can activate the service in 10-15 minutes in your Personal Account or using the USSD request *501# . The option can be disabled via USSD request *501*# . An alternative way to activate (deactivate) is an SMS of any content sent to the service number 0500960 .
"Unlimited Italy"
A fairly useful option for Megafon subscribers who are planning to visit Italy and do not want to limit themselves in receiving information via the Internet. This service is suitable for owners of all tariff plans for individuals and offers unlimited volume of downloaded traffic for a daily subscription fee of 500 rubles. Free connection and deactivation of the option is implemented via USSD request *105*1144# . In addition, to activate, you can send an SMS message of any content to the number 05001144 . To disable it, an SMS with the word Stop is sent to the same number.
When can’t you connect roaming yourself?
Independent connection to MTS roaming for Belarus and trips to other countries can be accomplished in two cases. The first is if the SIM card that needs to be connected to roaming is valid for less than 6 months and the balance on it is less than 600 rubles. The second is a SIM card younger than 12 months, and if during this period at least 1 month payment was missed, i.e. it was 0 rubles.
Connecting to roaming through a mobile phone store or MTS office
Don’t despair if your MTS number does not meet the conditions for connecting yourself. You can activate roaming at the MTS service center. What is needed for this? To do this, you will need to personally come to an MTS office or communication salon with a passport and have at least some positive balance on your phone account. An official representative of the subscriber can also contact the service center for help. In this case, the power of attorney is issued through a notary.
But you won’t always be able to connect to roaming, even if you visit an MTS office. But don't despair.
"Easy roaming and international access"
You can travel to Belarus and some other countries by first connecting to “Easy Roaming and International Access”. This service includes the ability to make calls and receive/send SMS to MTS in Belarus. Also, thanks to this service, you can use the Internet via a smartphone. But to use the Internet you need to connect additional and GPRS.
does not require monthly payments, as well as payment for its connection or disconnection.
Corporate numbers and VIP tariffs with city numbers, alas, will not be able to use this service to use MTS roaming in Belarus.
It should be remembered that this service is not available with all tariff plans, which it is advisable to check with the support service or at the MTS office. “Easy Roaming and International Access” cannot be used in conjunction with “International and National Roaming”. They are mutually disconnected, and if there is a need to switch to one of them again, then you will have to connect it again, like the first time.
Cost of services in Belarus
MTS roaming tariffs to Belarus are quite affordable in price, especially when it comes to Belarus itself, and Russia too.
Thus, incoming calls from Russia and outgoing calls to Russia will cost 70 rubles per minute in roaming in Belarus. The cost of calls within Belarus is the same. If the call is made to one of the CIS countries, Georgia, South Ossetia or Abkhazia, then its cost increases to 109 rubles. To other countries using MTS roaming from Belarus, a call will cost 135 rubles per minute of conversation.
All incoming SMS messages while roaming in Belarus are free, and outgoing ones cost 10 rubles.
Internet, if available, will cost exactly 450 rubles per day without limit, and without special services - 10 rubles for 40 KB of incoming or outgoing information.
How much does a call from MTS to Belarus cost?
Calls to Belarus on the vast majority of MTS tariff plans cost 35 rubles/min. Long conversations at such prices turn out to be insanely expensive. The “Your Country” tariff plan will help reduce costs. It was created specifically for low-cost calls within Russia, CIS countries, South Korea, Vietnam and China. The tariff is open for connection and switching - you can buy a SIM card or switch to a tariff plan through your personal account.
Terms of service for the “Your Country” tariff plan:
- There are no subscription fees or other regular payments;
- Calls within the region of connection to numbers of any operators - 2.5 rubles/min;
- Calls within the tariff plan - only 1 rub/min;
- Calls to Belarus to numbers of any operators – 25 rubles/min;
- Calls to other countries – from 3 rubles/min, depending on the direction.
Using the “Your Country” tariff, subscribers save 10 rubles per minute of conversation compared to other tariff plans.
The “Your Country” tariff has a drawback - not being a package, it is not suitable for Internet users and those who often call local numbers. If this is really the case, install a SIM card with this tariff in the second slot or allocate a separate mobile phone for calls to Belarus - their cost is from 500 rubles, depending on the model and its functionality.
The “Your Country” tariff plan will also be useful for those who often exchange SMS with Belarusian numbers. Unlike other tariffs, where the cost of international SMS is 8 rubles, here the cost of one message to numbers in the CIS countries is 6 rubles. Thanks to this, the cost of correspondence with Belarusians is reduced by a quarter. To switch to the “Your Country” tariff, use your personal account or USSD command *111*3888#.
Service in roaming
The most convenient number for solving problems with MTS communications in Belarus is 0890. The fact is that Belarus is part of the so-called group of “countries of presence”. And therefore, while on the territory of this country, you can receive free advice and assistance without using the number +7 495 766 01 66, which is common in most countries.
On the territory of Belarus, problems that have arisen can also be resolved in Belarusian MTS showrooms. In addition, even roaming itself, if it was not activated in Russia, can be activated in a Belarusian communication store and make international calls from MTS.
All information on roaming, its tariffs and services can be obtained while on the territory of Belarus. To do this, you need to enter the command *111*33# on your phone.
Already on the territory of Belarus, the phone should automatically select the MTS-Belarus operator. If this does not happen, then you just need to contact the communication salon with a question about how to activate MTS roaming in Belarus.
How to activate roaming from Megafon?
As soon as you need roaming in Belarus, make a call or open any social network. Packages will be automatically added to your number. Additional activations and settings are not needed; international roaming works as simply as a regular tariff in your home region.
There is no need to turn it off when you arrive back in Russia. All conditions are valid only in the territory of Belarus.
Sources:
- https://megafonme.ru/rouming-megafon-v-belorussii/
- https://megafon-online.com/rouming-za-granitsej-ot-megafon/
- https://tarif-online.ru/mobilnye-sovety/skolko-stoit-rouming-v-belarusi.html
- https://hdmegafon.ru/articles/tarify-megafon-v-belorussii-na-2019-god-opisanie-stoimost-kak-ispolzovat-rouming/
Payment
It is not difficult to pay for MTS services outside of Russia. There are many ways. As they say, choose your taste.
You can top up your SIM card, as well as the personal account of another person, while abroad using a MasterCard or Visa plastic card. To do this, you just need to call +7 495 766 01 66 and use the voice menu instructions. You cannot top up by less than 100 rubles when using this service.
It is possible to top up your account using the card using the Internet on your smartphone. The link to carry out this manipulation is www.pda.mts.ru/online.
You can temporarily receive money for your phone at the expense of the operator company. here to help. In this case, at the expense of MTS, from 50 to 800 rubles will appear on the phone. The company will withdraw funds from the balance after 7 days. The cost of this service is only 5 rubles. You can also borrow 1,500 rubles, but this is only if in total over the last 180 days your mobile account has been topped up with at least 1,500 rubles. In general, the available amount that can be borrowed by sending an SMS to MTS depends on the amount of recent top-ups. You can find out this available amount, as well as use the service, using the USSD command *111#.
It would be wise to download the “Easy Payment” application on your smartphone before going abroad. With it you can easily top up your phone account not only in Belarus and other countries, but also in Russia without leaving your home.
You can ask your loved ones to top up your account using the “Top up my account” request. But loved ones can use it to carry out this manipulation. Thus, you can top up your balance from number to MTS number.
You can get money for a SIM card on credit from MTS. For this there is a special service “In Full Trust”. But you should remember that in this case, the “Promised Payment” will not be taken until the loan is repaid.
Well, the most convenient way to top up your phone account for calls from MTS to Belarus, Russia and other countries is to use. “Autopay” allows you not to think about paying your phone bill. With this service, money will be automatically debited from the card and credited to the phone number's account. This can also be used in the Russian Federation.
Tariffs of local operators for tourists
Mobile communication tariff plans in Belarus for each operator have significant differences and everyone can choose a specific tariff to suit their needs. When choosing a tariff, you should take into account that mobile operators in Belarus, which are also in Russia (for example, MTS), do not provide their services at home in the neighboring country.
Please note that if a tourist does not have any (including temporary) registration in the Republic of Belarus, then the choice of mobile communication tariff in Belarus for him is significantly narrowed. In this article we will talk about the tariffs of Belarusian operators for foreign citizens.
The prices set by cellular operators in Belarus for their service packages vary. There is no fee for the SIM card itself and the person pays only for the package, which is valid for a certain period of time.
Prices in the description of tariffs of Belarusian operators are indicated in Belarusian rubles.
MTS
In order to make calls, the tariff called “Guest 7” from the MTS operator is perfect. Calls within Belarus in this case will cost 0.07 rubles. per minute, both within the network and to mobile phone numbers of other operators. SMS messages are charged at 0.0575 rubles. a piece. The package also includes a small package of Internet traffic of 1 GB for 7 days, after which each additional megabyte costs 0.0435 rubles. The subscription fee for using the “Guest 7” tariff is 4 rubles. during the week.
For the Internet, the most advantageous offer from the MTS operator will be the “Guest 30” tariff, which costs 13.6 rubles. offers 2 GB of Internet per month, after which each megabyte is charged at 0.0435 rubles.
A1
To make calls to Belarusian phone numbers, it is most profitable to buy a SIM card with the Comfort line package and call for free within the network. At the same time, calls to numbers of other operators are charged at 14 kopecks. The subscription fee for the tariff is 8.5 rubles. When connecting a special option for 5 rubles. per month SMS messages are charged at 4 kopecks. A nice bonus will be the opportunity to use up to 20 gigabytes of Internet traffic over 3G networks for free.
For the Internet, the “SuperWEB 5” tariff is quite suitable, which includes 5 GB of traffic. After overcoming this milestone, payment for each additional 10 MB is 2 kopecks.
Visitors to Belarus should also pay attention to the “Hello. Tourist", which costs 9.9 rubles. offers 5 GB of Internet and 50 minutes of calls within the network for 7 days.
Life
If we consider the offers of the Life operator, then you should pay attention to the “Voice 2” tariff. The subscription fee for the package is 6.9 rubles. The tariff provides unlimited calls within the network and 1 GB of Internet. To make calls to other networks there is a limit of 100 minutes at a price of 8 kopecks. in a minute. The fee for one SMS message is 4 kopecks.
The Internet tariff of this operator has the simple name “Internet” and provides a 5 GB package at 3G speed at a price of 8.9 rubles. per month. Calls are charged at 8 kopecks. per minute, and SMS messages cost 4 kopecks.
Recommendations
In order not to encounter communication problems while visiting Belarus and to easily make international calls using an MTS SIM card, it is better to follow some simple recommendations.
- Put the required amount of money on your phone in advance.
- Find out about the tariffs of Belarus itself while on the territory of this country. After all, they can also be used during a trip.
- If you travel frequently to Belarus, it makes sense to find out about discounts on roaming from MTS and use MTS Without Borders roaming.
- You need to remember that even 1 second in roaming is considered a full minute, which means that money for all time less than a minute will be written off as a whole minute. Roaming does not provide for any per-second tariffication.
- You need to top up your account on the territory of Belarus, but the most reliable way is to have it on your phone. The presence of this service allows you to use communication services with a zero or minus balance.
Thus, using Russian MTS in Belarus is not such an expensive pleasure. In addition, the good news is that any problem with MTS communications in this country can be sorted out. But still, when traveling to the Republic of Belarus, it is better to play it safe once again and activate all services and packages in advance and always stay in touch.
If you are urgently getting ready to go on a trip and simply did not have time to connect the necessary option or buy another tariff plan, then use the one offered by Beeline.
With its help, you can receive a package of minutes or MB of Internet for a day immediately after the first access to the network or making a call. Since the service is activated immediately in packages, the resulting amount is much less than if you pay by the minute.
This option is available in any Beeline tariff and has no subscription fee.
Attention! It connects automatically with the first connection, and starts working only when actions are performed outside the borders of Russia. However, the packages also have a significant disadvantage - you need to use up the package within a day. As soon as it has passed, all remaining minutes and MB of Internet will immediately burn out, and you will not be able to use them. But if you never went online or made calls during the day, then you won’t have to pay at all.
More details about the service:
| Countries | Call minutes | MB Internet | SMS |
| CIS | 10 minutes – 100 rubles | 40 MB – 200 rubles | 20 rubles for 1 message |
| Europe and other popular countries | 20 minutes – 200 rubles | 40 MB – 200 rubles | 20 rubles |
| Less popular tourist countries | Outgoing call – 100 rubles per minute, incoming – 25 rubles | 1 MB – 90 rubles | 20 rubles |
The service is available for use by absolutely any individual or legal entity. It is activated automatically and cannot be disabled.
To prevent the package from connecting during your trip, simply do not pick up the phone or make calls or go online on your own.
